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Leominster's Barnaby named Mass. Coach of the Year; O'Connor on first team

By Nick Mallard, nmallard@sentinelandenterprise.com

Updated:
07/22/2014 02:28:06 PM EDT

Leominster High School players celebrate their 6-1 victory over Norwood in the Division 1 state baseball championship. On the far left is manager Rich Barnaby, who on Monday was named the Massachusetts Coach of the Year by USA Today. (SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / ASHLEY GREEN)

LEOMINSTER -- Going 21-4 and winning the MIAA Division 1 state title in his first season at the helm of the Leominster High baseball program silenced any doubts about whether Rich Barnaby was the right man to take over after the retirement of legendary coach Emile Johnson.

On Monday, Barnaby added another accolade to a stellar rookie season, being named Massachusetts Coach of the Year by USA Today, leaving just one question regarding his skills as a manager: What can he possibly do for an encore?

"My wife asked me, 'How do you follow that up next season?' It's going to be tough," the first-year skipper said Tuesday afternoon. "But it's really about teach kids and helping them improve.

Leominster s Neil O Connor pitches during the fifth inning of his complete-game victory in the state championship. O Connor on Monday was named to the all-state first team by USA Today. (SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / ASHLEY GREEN)

We don't have to win a state title or a district title every year as long as we're doing that, but I think we've set the standard pretty high in Leominster.

"The Coach of the Year award is unbelievable. It's been surreal. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."

Barnaby emphasized a team-first attitude for the Blue Devils all season, playing small ball and finding roles for everyone on the roster. After being named Coach of the Year, he continued to keep the focus on the team.

"It's definitely a team award," Barnaby said. "You don't get that kind of recognition unless you have a good team with some talent."

Standout pitcher and second baseman Neil O'Connor was also recognized by USA Today, earning a first-team all-state nod.

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The senior's career was capped last month when he went the distance in a 6-1 victory over Norwood in the state championship game.

For his senior season, O'Connor hit .508 and went 10-1 on the hill, but Barnaby says that the University of New Hampshire-bound player's focus on winning drove him much more than personal success. O'Connor was also tabbed as the 2013 Gatorade Football Player of the Year in Massachusetts.

"He's the most modest kid you'll ever see. He'd probably be embarrassed to talk about this kind of thing," Barnaby said. "But he's a real special athlete."

After reaching the Central Mass. final last season, the Blue Devils had high hopes, even after Johnson called it a career after 43 years in charge of the program.

"You have to get a little bit lucky and jell at the right time, but we knew we had the talent to contend for a title," Barnaby said. "A lot of kids in this group had success the year before and we set the goal to at least play for a district title. I was lucky to have a really good team and 11 seniors to work with."

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